Netflix’s “Inside the Manosphere” Exposes the Grift, Misogyny, and Fragility Behind Viral Bro Culture
The manosphere isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but Netflix’s documentary offers the first deep look into what the darkest corner of social media is doing to men.
Netflix’s new documentary “Inside the Manosphere” is the perfect weekend watch if you want to feel enraged and informed. The Louis Theroux documentary takes viewers deep into the manosphere, a term for a network of male influencers who are peddling toxic masculinity and misogyny as strength. Theroux spent time with HSTikkyTokky (Harrison Sullivan), Justin Waller, and Myron Gaines (Amrou Fudl) to understand what makes the manosphere tick and the dangers the content poses to young men and children.
Netflix’s “Inside the Manosphere” is pulling back the curtain on a toxic corner of the internet
Social media is an ever-present part of life these days, and the lack of regulation allows for anyone to share their views as facts. This is increasingly true for men sharing their misogynistic, sexist, homophobic, and bigoted views to impressionable young followers. Major influencers such as HSTikTokky (Harrison Sullivan), Justin Waller, and Myron Gaines are featured in the documentary.
Louis Theroux managed to set up times to hang out with the three influencers to see just what they believe and what is for show. The documentary is a stunning look at the kinds of messages these guys are sharing that lead to clips of young boys approaching them in public, shouting phrases like, “F*** these women” and “Kill the gays.” It is also a way to understand how the toxic content is encouraging men and boys to behave in ways that exacerbate the male loneliness epidemic.
Overall, the men featured in the documentary were misogynistic, childish, and far from being deep thinkers. They are the perfect representation of men who were coddled so hard as children that they don’t know how to be functioning adults. Unfortunately, they have the eyes and ears of millions of young men and boys that they are grooming to be the same misogynistic, homophobic, and racist people.
The documentary shows that these men don’t love women, not even the women in their lives
The whole point of the manosphere is to tell young men and boys that masculinity is the only desirable quality. It is inherently anti-feminist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, and racist. Watching the documentary, viewers see the manosphere subjects fight for their lives to defend their views.
Hypocrisy and fragility underline everything that these influencers create. They offer nothing of substance and routinely default to degrading women for clout and views. Sullivan, for example, owns a company that manages women with OnlyFans accounts. Yet, at the same time, he calls the women disgusting and degrades them while they make him money. He even said he would disown his daughter if she did the same thing.
Waller claimed that women haven’t contributed anything to society. He went on to add that women have not invented or built anything. Rather, Waller believes that women are only concerned with finding husbands and having families. He must not know about Hedy Lamarr, who pioneered technology that is the foundation for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Waller relies on this woman’s contribution to society so he can make money by belittling women and selling bad financial advice.
Fudl offered the wildest take on women from the manosphere point of view. The streamer claims that women want one thing: a man who can dominate them. The idea that women are meant to be subservient is one of the lowest-intellect takes a man can have. During his interview, he brags about how his girlfriend cleans for him and does what he says. But what he thinks is strength is really just a little boy unable to take care of himself.
The manosphere agrees on one thing: one-way monogamy.
All of the influencers and the men who idolize them who were interviewed think that one-way monogamy is a valid relationship. Being in an open relationship is one thing, but one-way monogamy is just ridiculous. All of the men take pride in being able to sleep with as many women as they want, while their partners are not allowed to do the same.
Waller was the biggest advocate for one-way monogamy. He made sure to bring it up at the beginning of his interview in an attempt to shock Theroux. Instead, Waller’s impassioned defense of one-way monogamy made the documentarian laugh at its preposterous claims. It clearly triggered Waller.
Fudl, along with one-way monogamy, made a claim that blurs the line between consent and rape. While being interviewed, he stated, “I dictate when I put my d**k in you.” This caused Theroux to take a pause and repeat it back to Fudl for clarification. Instantly, the braggadocious person vanished, and he instantly started to backtrack, realizing that he might have said the quiet part out loud.
The biggest takeaway is that the manosphere is filled with grifters
One of the things that everyone in the manosphere pointed to was financial advice and investment opportunities. This was especially prevalent in Sullivan’s life. He often tells people about an investment platform he works with and brags about the money that he has made.
However, as Theroux exposes, the platform is just another scam being run by Sullivan. He gets a cut when people make investments through his link. This means he makes money regardless of the investment portfolio he holds. Theroux decided to see if it was worth it after reading reviews online warning people that it was a scam and just a way for Sullivan to make money. Theroux put in $500 and was promised by Sullivan that he would make money. Instead, Theroux lost his $500.
The unchecked spread of social media among young men and boys is dangerous
The manosphere influencers, mere servants of the algorithm and followers, offer nothing of substance to society. They peddle hate as if it were enlightened thinking. They rely on shock and violence but say it is the parents’ responsibility to prevent teens from watching the content.
The three men were angry when Theroux suggested that teenage boys are the largest demographic in their audience, and the algorithm is intentionally serving that content to them. There could be a lot of reasons why teenagers are getting fed that content specifically. For one, the influencers behave more like teenage boys than they do like men. Their ideas about the world are as stunted as their own development.
The kind of antics and flashy living they curate for their social media content doesn’t resonate with real men. This is why, when pressed, the self-proclaimed tough guys crumble very quickly. They can’t stand to be questioned about their beliefs.
The manosphere isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but Netflix’s documentary offers the first deep look into what the darkest corner of social media is doing to men. These extreme views about the world are only further isolating men from the rest of society.